Method of applying heels to shoes



- 1,620,344 March 8 1927 c. N. HAHN METHOD OF APPLYING HEELS T0 SHOES Filed March U, 1926 6'. 1V: Haiku-v.

Q I albums Patented Mar. 8, 1927.

UNITED STATES CHARLES 1v. HAHN, or BINGHAMTON, new YORK.

METHOD OF APPLYING HEELS 'IO SHOES.

Applicationfiled March 17, 192e, seriaiNo. 95,379.

This invention relates to a novel method of applying wooden heels to ladies shoes and firmly holding the same in place while the cement or other adhesive is setting or.

ed to its proper position and by which method the heel will be effectually restrained against displacement in any direction and maintained in its proper position until such time as the cement or adhesive has set or hardened, thereby obviating tearing loose of the heel in the subsequent steps in the manufacture of the shoe.

Another object of the invention is to devise a process which may be expeditiously carried out for the purpose of firmly and securely holding the heel in place upon a shoe and to provide a novel means whereby this result may be accomplished in the carrying out of the method.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective View illustrating the first step in the method embodying the invention after the heel has been applied to the shoe and while the shoe is upon the last and supported upon the last stand.

Figure 2 is a similar view illustrating the completion of the first step in the method.

Figure 3 is a similar View illustrating the second step in the method.

Figure 4- is a view in side elevation illustrating the shoe and heel applied thereto, and the manner in which the holding means are temporarily assembled with the shoe, the heel, and the last which is applied within the shoe.

In carrying out the method of the present invention, a last 1 of the ordinary type is employed, as also a last stand or jack comprising the usual base 2 and upright or standard 3, to the upper end of which latter the jack is fitted in the usual manner. As a matter of convenience, the base 2 of the jack is provided in rear of the upright 3 with an upstanding horn indicated by the numeral 4-, The shoe to which the heel is to be applieda'nd retained in place while the cement or other adhesive is drying, is indicated. by the numeral. 5, and the heel itself is indicated by the numeral 6. I

As illustratedin Figure 1 of the drawings, the heel has been applied to the heel portion of the sole of the shoe, the shoe being upon the last, and the usual steps or" skiving the marginal portion of the heel portion of the shoe' sole, applying adhesive to the upper surfaceot the heel, and adjusting the heel to proper position upon the sole, have been carried out. As these steps in themselves are not novel, they have not been illustrated,

but after the heel has been properly fitted.

in position it is necessary, in order to avoid the heel beingtorii loose, to ma'intain the. same firmly in place upon the shoe until the adhesive has set orhardened. In accordance witlrthe' inethod of the present invention, a number of rubber bands 7 of a suitable width and normal diameter are arranged one above another upon the standard 3 above the base 2, so as to be readily accessible, and other bands, indicated by the numeral 8, are similarly arranged upon the horn 4. These bands are ordinarily approximately three. and one-half inches in diameter and approximately one inch in width, and they may be cheaply obtained by cutting sections from a discarded tire tube of the proper size.

With the parts in the position shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, the workman carries out the first step of the method by removing one of the rubber bands 8 from the horn t and spreading the same open by the use of both hands as shown in the said figure, and then engages the band beneath the cone of the last 1 and over the lower or ground-engaging side of the heel with the side stretches of the band extending along the sides of the heel and the sides of the counter of the shoe, adjusting the band so that it will be evenly tensioned throughout its circumference. The next step in the method is carried out by elevating the uppermost one of the bands 7 along the upright 3 of the last jack, spreading or opening the band by the use of both hands, as shown in Figure 3, and, as likewise shown in the said figure, engaging the band about the rear side of the heel and over the portion of the shoe upper which is immediately above the instep of the shoe.

Figure 4: of the drawings clearly illustrates the manner in which the bands are applied and it will be evident, by reference to this figure, that the bands will firmly bind the heel against the heel portion of the sole of the shoe and maintain the-same in the position to which it has been adjusted, until the cement or other adhesive has hardened or set, after which the bands may be removed and reemployed, and the shoe then put through the usual finishing operations and the last finally drawn from the shoe.

In practice it has been found that three hours is a sufiicient period of time for the hardening of the cement and it will be evident that due to the inexpensive nature of the heel binding elements which are em ployed in carrying out the method, as compared with specially constructed clamps and other expensive binding devices which have heretofore been proposed for use, a great number of shoes may be heeled by the method of the invention without the employment of a correspondingly great number of expensive binding devices. Furthermore, it will be evident that by arranging the bands 7 upon the standard or upright of the last jack and manipulating the said bands in the manner shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, there is no necessity for removing the last from the said standard or upright in order to apply said bands. Furthermore, it will be evident that the method may be carried out with considerable speed and great facility owing to the fact that the 1,

bands will automatically accommodate themselves to the heel and shoe upper as well as to the heel and jack.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

The method of binding a shoe heel to a shoe, during the drying of the uniting adhesive, which comprises stretching an elastic band of substantial width about the heel and a last within the shoe to extend over the tread of the heel and over the end of the cone of the last and along the sides of the shoe counter, and stretching a second hand of substantial width to the shoe to extend about the rear side of the heel and the front portion of the upper and diagonally along the sides of the upper in intersecting relation to the first mentioned band at the heel seat of the shoe, and permitting the bands to contract and exert such a binding force that the heel will be held against accidental displacement until the adhesive has set.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES N. HAHN. 

